Dear January
Northern lights, Wuthering Heights, learning a language, and super boggle!
In the depths of winter, it felt like the small gesture we all needed to push through the cold, dark days. January has crept by at a glacial pace for me—days blending into one another, somehow both long and fleeting at the same time. And yet, I don’t have a lot to report this month. I haven’t hit the ground running by any means—it’s felt more like a wrapping up of last year and an awkward, unplanned pause. I’m still holding out hope that the Lunar New Year in February will bring the momentum and renewal I’m craving.
This edit is a little shorter, but it gathers a few things that have been sustaining me lately: beautiful art, a Swedish pop song, two classic novels I finally sat down to read, and of course, a few links from around the web. A small collection to keep you company through the middle of winter.
Alright, here’s how the month went…
I’ve been using the app Duolingo to start learning Swedish, and I’m finding it surprisingly engaging (and good at keeping me consistent!). I’ve also been listening to Swedish music—I linked a song above by a group I enjoy—and have a few Netflix series queued up to watch with subtitles. If you’ve ever taught yourself a new language, I’d love any tips you’re willing to share.
We’re attending a winter wedding tomorrow! It will be a small, intimate group of guests celebrating a friend I’ve known since grade school—a very special invite that we were grateful to accept. I’ve always loved a small winter wedding. Scott and I chose to get married in November with just eight guests, and it still feels like the best decision.
The year of the horse starts Feb. 17th—I enjoyed this article about it.
Can you read 900 words per minute? (via Alex)
I’m into these phone necklaces.
The hopes and heartaches of fulfilling a lifelong dream.
A kitchen I would like to wake up to.
Tour the gorgeous set design of Thrushcross Grange!
Let’s all be friendly neighbours—ok?
This butter yellow linen dress for spring.
These hair clips please.
Cod, chorizo, and red bean stew for those bitter January nights.
The cast of White Lotus Season 4 has my attention.
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith (1943). What a treasure this was. Set in early 20th-century Brooklyn, the novel follows Francie Nolan as she grows up in a working-class immigrant family, navigating poverty, education, ambition, and the resilience of childhood. I love a hard-knocks coming-of-age story, and although this is fiction, the precision of everyday details makes it read almost like a memoir. If you enjoyed The Glass Castle (one of my favourite memoirs), you’ll likely enjoy this one too. Tender, observant, and deeply human—a heartbreaking and uplifting tale that captures universal experiences in an unforgettable way. In our current economic climate, it felt meaningful to sit with a story that reminds us how much people endure, and how deeply small kindnesses can register.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847). In anticipation of the upcoming film adaptation (with Margot Robbie!), I had no choice but to finally read this gothic classic. The novel follows the turbulent, generations-long entanglement between Heathcliff and the Earnshaw family, where love curdles into obsession and revenge. Set on the wild Yorkshire moors, it’s a story of pride and passion pushed to their most destructive edges. Not a comforting read, and filled with deeply unlikeable characters, but a fitting match for the bleak January weather. At moments I found it slow, but overall I was surprised by my enjoyment of it! *I only discovered afterwards that Brontë’s sister wrote Jane Eyre—a talented family indeed!
Like many others, I really enjoyed the Norwegian film Sentimental Value. Beyond the stunning shots and beautiful performances, I loved how much trust the film places in the viewer. Nothing is over-explained, and the emotional tension builds slowly, leaving a discomfort that isn’t neatly resolved. It also sent me down a rabbit hole of Renate Reinsve’s style, past work, and her insiders guide to Oslo! She has that effortless cool so many Scandinavians seem to have mastered.
Scott and I love word games. We usually play the NYT games every night, but I mentioned recently that I wanted a daily word game that didn’t involve staring at a screen (since I already do that all day at work). He surprised me with Bananagrams and Super Boggle earlier this month, and we’ve been playing a round after dinner each night. We added a few house rules for an extra challenge, and I have to say, I’m obsessed!
And lastly, some art I’ve been loving lately:
“An artist is someone who goes to a place where no one’s been before, and brings back something we’ve never seen but instantly recognize.”
- Nick Willing
I hope you’ve had a grounded January. Thank you so much for reading and as always, I would love to hear from you!
How has January been for you?
Are you as excited to see the film adaptation of Wuthering Heights as I am? The costumes and interior sets look incredible! ❣️
Ciao ciao,
Wow, the paper towel art! 😍 I'm with you on January feeling like an awkward pause. I, too, normally hit the ground running. But this year I let it be slow and unplanned and in the last week or so I've felt my energy and drive returning to me a bit. So, rest is good!
I'm excited to see Sentimental Value. We have a long list of movies that have come out recently that we are slowly working our way through and it's such a good winter activity.
Welcome to the Swedish-learning club. I've been studying for a year. It surprisingly easy when you come from German, like I do, and apparently easier to learn than Danish and Norwegian. Is there a reason you wanted to learn Swedish particularly?